Universal shaft-coupling



(No Model.)

J. B. POWELL.

UNIVERSAL SHAFT COUPLING.

N08 288,855. Patented Nov. 20, 1883.

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the cup B, near its upper edge.

UNITE STATES PATENT Fries.

J OHX B. POlVELL, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

UNIVERSAL SHAFT-COUPLlNG.

SPECIFICATION forming part of LettersPatent No. 288,855, dated November 20, 1883.

Application filed August 9, 1883. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN B. POWELL, a citizen of the United States, residing at Philadelphia, in the county of Philadelphia and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Universal Shaft-Couplings; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which form part of this specification, in which- Figures 1, 3, and 4 are side elevations, Fig. 2 a sectional view, and Figs. 5, 6, 7 and 8 detail views, of my invention.

My invention has for its object to provide a simple but durable and efficient form of universal coupling which will permit easy flexion and allow the shafts which it connects to be rotated one from the other while in angling positions with respect to each other.

My improvements consist in the peculiar construction and combination of parts hereinafter fully described, having reference primarily to the combination, with a ball having a diametral kerf or slot, of arock-shaft fitted therein, and having bearings inthe surrounding socket, said shaft being secured to said ball by a transverse pin, substantiallyas here inafter fully described.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, A designates a ball which has a diamet-ral slot or kerf, a. Said slot extends through the ball in one direction, producing almost a severance of the same into two sections, (1. of, the two uncut and o. )OSllJ arts a a bein left to retain said sections together. Said ball A is fitted in a cup or socket, B, in which it has space sufficient for rotation without binding. A rock-shaft, 0, passes centrally through, the slot at, and has hearings in the walls of the cup B at e 0, so that it can rock freely therein. To allow such freedom of rocking movement and yet prevent the shaft from working or slipping endwise out of its bearings, a band or collar, D, is fitted tightly around the outside of To maintain the shaft 0 in such relation to the ball A that the middle of the former shall always occupy or coincide with the center of the latter, apin, E, is providedmhich passes through said ball the shaft with which such connection is established.

The foregoing is a description of the coup ling with a single ball and socket; but in practice I preferto use two such devices united, so as to form one coupling having a large extent of flexion or range of motion. For this purpose I duplicate the devices already described and unite the'two balls A A by arigid connection, G. The two balls and the connection Ginay, and preferably should, be cast in one piece, and will be substantially in the form of a dumb-bell. If it be desired to maintain two shafts in a certain fixed relation to one anotherfor example, at right angles-each shaft being free to rotate and one communicating motion to the other through't-he intermediation of the coupling, a bracket, H, of approxi mately L shape, may be employed, said shafts (shown in Figs. 4- as F and I) having bearings respectively in the arms Z Z of said bracket. The connection G then stands at or about an angle of forty-five degrees with respectto each of the shafts F I, and rotates on its longitudinalaxis, communicating motion from one of said shafts to the other. The driving-shaft produces a rotation of the socket to which it is attached, and the latter carries with it the shaft 0. Let F be the driving-shaft standing vertically. When said shaft rotates, the socket B and shaft 0 are carried around in a horizontal plane. Theball A is also carried around in the same plane being forced along by the shaft 0 inside of it; but, as the ball A is slotted as already described, and is only secured to the shaft 0 by the pin E,which latter can rock in said shaft, the ball has a motion of such a character that the shaft G traverses the slot (0 as the ball travels, such traverse being the same as if the shaft 0 vibrated on its center.

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In other words, the ball, rotates, and as it rotates rocks on the shaft 0. The ball A at the other end of the connection G, when the coupling is made with two balls, also in like inan- 5 ner rotates and rocks with the effect of moving the shaft 0, which passes through it in a vertical plane and producing rotation of the horizontal shaft I. The shafts F and I may be, alternately, the driving and the driven 1o shaft, as it makes no difference, so far as the operation of the coupling is concerned, to which one of said shafts the moving-power is applied; and it is not of course at all necessary that i said shafts should be at any particular angle 1 5 with respect to one another. They may be either aligned or at right angles or at any angle between alignment and a right angle. The cup or socket B may be in the form of a ring sustained upon flaring or curved arms.

What I claim as my invention is as follows: 1. A universal coupling comprising a ball having a diametral slot or kerf, a cup or socket, a rock-shaft passing through the slot in said ball, and having hearings in the walls 25 of the cup, and a pin passing through said ball and shaft, substantially as shown and described.

2. In a universal coupling having a cup or socket, and a transverse rock-shaft, having bearings therein, the combination, with said socket and shaft, of a ring which encircles the former to hold the latter in place, substantially as shown and described.

3. The combination, in a universal coupling or ball-and-socket joint, of two balls A A, hav- 3 5 ing a rigid connection, G, substantially as shown and described.

4. The combination, with the two cups or sockets B B, each having a rock-shaft, O O, of the .two balls A A, united by the rigid c011- nection G, each of said balls being slotted and connected to their respective rock-shafts O O by the pins E E, substantially as shown and described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing I 45 have hereunto set my hand this 7th day of Angust, 1883.

JOHN B. POWELL.

\Vitnesses:

ANDREW ZANE, Jr. p

WM. H. PownLL. 

